The forgotten art of dialogue in the information age
Written by Richard Fowler Tuesday, 16 September 2008 21:44
We live in an information age, but, do we live in a communication age?
In the last few decades an increase in the number of channels available for the exchange of information has rapidly altered the experience of human interaction. Impressive and innovative technologies that facilitate the pace, quantity and quality of information available to us in real time constantly require us to update what we know and how we respond to it.Internet, email, mobiles, video streaming, Skype, GPS, search engines, satellite television and who knows where to next? The list seems inexhaustible.
The pace of change is speeding up, and in business, new information requires us to respond by making important decisions faster. We may have access to the latest information, and the technologies to facilitate the exchange of that information, but do we actually communicate meaningfully? Do we listen carefully and inquire deeply? Do we speak with purpose, intent and clarity? In other words, does our organization value the capacity for its people to engage in the forgotten art of dialogue?
Dialogue. διά("diá," through) and λόγος ("logos," word, speech) The origins of the word stem from the Greek term that refers to a conversational method of exchanging meaning through words. In common parlance the term has mistakenly come to be used interchangeably with the words talking, debating and negotiating. Politicians frequently use the word dialogue when often they intend to debate or negotiate with their opposition and make their position clear. Of course nothing could be further from the origins and intent of dialogue. Dialogue has nothing to do with imposing our opinions, winning an argument and reaching rapid solutions. It does have everything to do with an on-going process of learning about our hidden assumptions and adding to the shared pool of understanding.
New and deeper insights into reality that shift paradigms facilitate new ways of thinking and responding that are active rather than reactive. Dialogue enables us to see patterns and larger systems at work that affect what we may fail to fully appreciate by the meager ‘fact’ swapping exercises that technology has facilitated. Technology and information are designed to serve us, but often we act as if they were our masters.
If businesses engaged in dialogue with customers what new benefit segments might be uncovered? If businesses engaged in dialogue with their supply chain, what improvements could be made to the system that might benefit everyone? How might the project management environment alter if through dialogue companies began to understand the systemic implications of their every action?
If businesses engaged in meaningful dialogue with its stakeholders what might emerge?
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